About Roots of Success
Our Mission
Our mission is to prepare youth and adults from underserved communities for high-road jobs and careers in essential infrastructure sectors, specifically water, waste, transportation, energy, buildings, food systems, and open space. Through rigorous Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship programs, we equip participants with the knowledge, credentials, and leadership skills needed to access 70 entry-level jobs and 111 career pathways, while empowering them to actively engage in improving social and environmental conditions in their communities.
Our Story
Roots of Success was created by Dr. Raquel Pinderhughes, Professor of Urban Studies & Planning at San Francisco State University and an internationally recognized expert on the green economy and workforce development. The curriculum is informed by Dr. Pinderhughes’ decades of experience working with and teaching underserved populations, coupled with in-depth research with employers across 21 sectors of the green economy. It was developed to meet the growing need for quality jobs, strong infrastructure, and resilient communities, while addressing environmental and economic challenges simultaneously.
Since its founding in 2009, Roots of Success has trained nearly 2,000 certified instructors who have delivered the curriculum through over 300 programs in the United States and abroad, including high schools, youth programs, community-based organizations, job training and reentry programs, and carceral settings. To date, almost 30,000 participants have completed the program in community and carceral settings, gaining hands-on knowledge, technical skills, and industry-recognized credentials that prepare them for jobs operating and maintaining essential infrastructure in water, waste, transportation, energy, building, food systems, and open space sectors.
Beyond workforce training, Roots of Success cultivates leadership, environmental literacy, and community engagement, empowering participants to act as change agents who strengthen local infrastructure, advance environmental stewardship, and address social and economic inequities. Its flexible, customizable model allows program partners to align the curriculum with local labor market needs, connect participants to employers and apprenticeships, and integrate real-world projects that reinforce classroom learning while building sustainable career pathways in the infrastructure sector.
In 2021, Roots of Success was approved by the federal Department of Labor as the nation's first "Environmental Literacy Instructor" Registered Apprenticeship Program.
(Click to see a list of programs that have offered Roots of Success)
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Listen to a Thought Provoking Interview with Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Raquel Pinderhughes
In this interesting hour long conversation, Dr. Pinderhughes explains her work that led to the creation of the Roots of Success program, highlights the importance of embedding environmental justice in environmental education and job training programs, and shows the need to center people most affected by environmental injustices who are too often excluded from spaces and opportunities. The conversation delves into the impact of Roots of Success in prisons throughout the United States, as well as the next steps for Roots of Success after becoming a federally recognized Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship program.
Special thanks to the individuals and foundations that support Roots of Success
Individual donors
Ava Community Energy
David and Janet Leatherwood Family Fund
East Bay Community Energy
Gazeley Family Fund
The Grove Foundation
The Kendeda Fund
Monroe Family Foundation
Oregon Health Authority
Oregon Community Foundation
Penny Foundation
Contact Us
Interested in scheduling a training, reviewing a sample the curriculum, or simply learning more about how Roots of Success could make an impact on your classroom, reach out to us via email below.